5 Habits of Successful Real Estate Agents

Starting out as a real estate agent and learning how to run your own business can be tough. In order to make the transition easier, we’ve asked five successful real estate agents to share the specific habits that they believe have contributed to their success. Below is a closer look at what they had to say. Feel free to take their advice and incorporate it into your own routine.

Use these habits of successful real estate agents to take your business to the next level

1. Learn how to effectively manage your time — the ultimate habit of successful real estate agents

Working for yourself can be tough, especially when you are first starting out. After all, there’s no one to impose deadlines or to structure your day for you. That’s why Dj Olhausen, an agent with Realty ONE Group Pacific in San Diego, CA, believes learning to manage your time effectively is so crucial.

“I think understanding how to manage your time is key. It’s quite easy to let the day get away from you. Tasks can easily be forgotten or left for tomorrow,” he says. “But, I try to combat that by planning out my weeks before they start and assigning activities to daily time slots. I think this level of preparation helps me see if I’m on track to meet my goals and keeps me on the path to success.”

2. Master your morning routine

Looking at it on a more granular level, some agents feel that building the perfect morning routine and starting the day off on the right foot is the key to building a successful business. Kristin Scanlon, an agent with Keller Williams Points North in Woodbury, NY details her morning routine, which she believes puts her in the right mindset to accomplish and exceed her business goals.

“I believe in winning my morning,” she says, simply. “For me, that means waking up, setting an intention for the day, meditating, and moving my body before I head into the office.”

3. Invest in housewarming gifts for your clients

Once you’re in the right mindset, generating success as a real estate agent is all about the level of customer service that you can provide for your clients. Jeff Osborne, an agent with Lichtenstein Rowan, REALTORS® in Roanoke, VA explains how it’s the little things that help set him apart from his competition.

“One habit that I feel has contributed to my success is always getting my buyers a housewarming gift at closing. I like to give something ‘practical’ that I think they will use over and over again. While it’s a nice gesture, ultimately, I want my clients to think about me occasionally and not to forget about the good times we shared or the service I provided for them.”

4. Position yourself as a industry expert

That said, you don’t always have to give your clients a gift in order for them to remember you. Often, the knowledge that you can impart to your clients is enough to create a lasting impression. Matthew Richmond of Matthew Richmond Detroit REALTOR® in Detroit, MI explains

“Regardless of how much time I devote to a client or a prospect, my goal is to always be helpful. I freely give away my deep knowledge of the market, my experience as an entrepreneur, and my industry expertise in real estate sales and marketing. Being of service and helping to solve problems may not lead directly to a closed transaction, but over time, it pays dividends in terms of reputation and referrals.”

5. Ask past clients for reviews and testimonials

Lastly, It’s important to remember that social proof can make a big difference. Asking your past clients for reviews will give prospects confidence in your ability to guide them through their transactions. Michael Chadwick, an agent with The Corcoran Group in New York, NY shares his experience:

“I’ve listed homes for owners who I’ve never met in person. Each time, they said that the reason they wanted to work with me was that they were so impressed by the beautiful things my past clients have said about me online.” 

The bottom line on successful real estate agents

At the end of the day, there is no one tried-and-true secret to creating a successful real estate business. As you can see, each of these successful real estate agents believes that a different habit contributed to their good fortune. Still, incorporating these habits into your routine can help you develop good business practices that will serve you well.